Red String
by Soulreciever
Summary: Polly and Trucy investigate the cause behind Phoenix's 'odd behaviour'. GS4 Spoilers from the word go. Slash. Vauge OOC. Randomness.


Red string

Red string.

T: Beware the spoilers for GS4, the slash, the OOC, the random plot, the messing with characters and other random fun things! I own nothing you see here other than the sickly plot bunny!

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There is something different about his mentor's appearance this morning, something that he cannot quite put his finger on and that has puzzling over since the other had settled into his place at the breakfast table.

Eventually the other notices his attention and, smiling in an overtly roguish manner, he enquires,

"Have you developed a little crush on me, Apollo?"

Flushing crimson he attempts to deny the accusation and, her face a perfect picture of shock, his sister enquires, "Is it true, Polly?"

"Of course not!" He responds, his 'cords of steel' making the words a little louder than had been his original intent and further intensifying his embarrassment.

Mr Wright and his sister fall into a little 'conversation' about how harsh he is and how the elder Wright is clearly too good for him before he stops them with a sharp "Hold it!" and by informing them, "I was just trying to figure out what's different about Mr Wright today."

"Daddy looks the same as he does every day Polly." Trucy responds before she returns to her previous task of creating a giant house of cards.

"What's the point in messing with perfection?" The seemingly casual enquiry sets his bracelet off and, senses now on high alert, he remarks,

"You touched your chin when you said _messing_ Mr Wright."

"Did I?"

"Yes and I think I know why." He remarks as he gestures to the other's chin "It's because there is something different about you're appearance and that something is that you've shaved off your stubble."

"You know he's right." Trucy remarks, the surprise in her voice and in her face now completely genuine.

"I was bored." The elder Wright remarks as he grabs the discarded dishes off the table and retreats to the relative safety of the kitchen sink. He and his sister exchange glances and, with a gentle shrug of the shoulders, indicate their confusion and their decision not to pursue the matter further.

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Today it is the elder Wright's clothing, rather than his physical appearance, that has undergone a change and yet, recalling the tense atmosphere of the day previous, he has chosen not to question this fact. Sadly, this resolve is proving to have the opposite affect to the one he had hoped for and he has just made the choice to give into his curiosity when his sister trudges out of her bedroom.

Shuffling over to her father, she kisses him gently on the forehead and then, voice laced still with fatigue, she enquires,

"Is that a new suit, Daddy?"

Laughing in the overt and clearly fake manner that he has come to know well the elder Wright replies, "Nah, I found it at the bottom of my wardrobe this morning," before enquiring,

"So what have you got planned on this, the first day of Spring Break?" The change in topic is so subtle and so very smooth that it is only when his sister remarks, "He's hiding something," that he realises that she too had noticed it.

Trucy makes the offhanded remark several hours later while they are strolling through People's Park and it takes him a few minutes to understand to what she is referring and enquire, "Why do you say that?" in response.

"Because he's avoiding answering our questions and lying about silly little things."

"I thought that suit looked a little too good to have been lying at the bottom of a wardrobe."

"And well out of daddy's budget." Trucy responds, her brow furrowing as she enquires, "You don't think he's gotten involved with the mob do you?"

All too used to his sister's overactive imagination by now he takes the suggestion in his stride and shaking his head he responds,

"I thought that he might be working on getting his badge back."

"He'd tell us something like that though, wouldn't he?"

"Maybe not…his confidence isn't what it was, after all."

There is a momentary silence and then, her eyes sparkling, Trucy remarks,

"It could always be something much simpler."

"You think he's seeing someone, don't you?"

"It would explain his sudden desire to clean up a little." His sister responds.

"You're going to make me investigate whether you're right or not, aren't you?"

"It'll be a good test of your detecting skills."

Aware that he shall not win this particular fight he sighs a defeated sigh and, rubbing absently at his forehead, he enquires,

"Where should we start?"

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Glancing at the total chaos that is Mr Wright's bedroom he comes to a swift decision and, folding his arms across his chest, he remarks,

"There's no hope of finding anything in there, Trucy."

"Yes there is." She responds as she begins picking a path through the junk to the elder Wright's bed, "You've just got to start thinking like daddy."

An instant later she reaches her goal and, after casually tossing her father's pillow to one side, she says, "there you go," as she picks something up off of the mattress and tosses it in his direction.

The object turns out to be a photo of three young boys posing together on a crisp winter's day. Time has faded the image somewhat and it is only after a few moments of intense concentration that he realises that one of the three is none other than Mr Wright himself.

"That's Larry Butz." Trucy remarks as she sets her head onto his shoulder and points at the boy to the left of Mr Wright's younger self, "Daddy introduced us just a little after I first came here."

"What about the other one?"

"I've never met him."

"But?"

"I feel like I should know who he is…that he's important, somehow."

He stares at the photo for a few moments, simply allowing his mind to tick over and then, placing the thing into his pocket, he enquires,

"Do you know where Mr Butz lives?"

"No, but I know where we might find him!"

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After scanning the many faces dotted about the Sunshine Coliseum, his sister makes a little noise of glee and, gesturing in a seemingly random direction, she says, "There he is," before sprinting off down the hill.

By the time, he catches up with her she is engaged in an animated conversation with a bearded, paint covered, man whom he assumes is their intended 'target.'

"Ah there you are!" Trucy remarks before she ceases him about the shoulder and says, "This is the guy I was telling you about, Mr Butz."

"Your eyes really are amazing…" The other remarks before offering his hand and informing him, "Names Larry Butz and I'm a professional artist."

"Apollo Justice and I'm…"

"An attorney, right?" Larry enquires before smiling sheepishly, gesturing towards his badge and informing him, "It's kind of hard to miss."

"Show him the photo, Polly!" The tinge of excitement clear in Trucy's voice brings a gentle smile to his lips and, extricating the item from his pocket, he enquires,

"Would you take a look at this for me, Mr Butz?"

"Oh, this takes me back!" He remarks after a moment, "It's kind of nice to see that Nick still treasures things like this, considering how he's gotten recently."

"Who's this guy, Mr Butz?" Trucy enquires as she points to the unknown child at the centre of the photo.

"You're kidding, right?" Larry's gaze flits from his sister to himself and then back again, before he remarks, "You're completely serious."

"That's right, Mr Butz."

"That guy there is Miles Edgeworth, arguably the best prosecutor of his generation and the whole entire reason that Nick became an attorney in the first place."

"But then why haven't I…" Trucy's voice trails off and, eyes sparking with a sudden rush of comprehension, she enquires, "He lives somewhere in Europe, correct?"

"He did..."

"So how long has he been back?"

"A week or so."

"Thank you, Mr Butz." Trucy responds before ceasing onto his arm and remarking, "Come on, Polly, we've got evidence to go and present!"

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The elder Wright is sat on the couch reading sheet music as they step into the agency, an activity that Trucy interrupts with a gentle clearing of her throat and the words,

"I know that the Jurist system was not the only reason that you were going to Europe."

"I'm going to have to ask you to prove it." The response is uttered in the composed voice of one well used to such pressures as this and, a hot rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins, he says,

"Take that!"

Phoenix looks at the photo for but the briefest of seconds before passing it back into his care and enquiring,

"What, precisely, does this prove?"

"Everything, daddy, and you know it." The response is childish, forceful and so easy to demolish that he is more than a little shocked when the elder Wright shrugs his shoulders and remarks,

"I guess you caught me."

"So when do we get to meet him?" Thus begins a flower filled conversation between father and daughter that he interrupts with the enquiry of,

"Could someone tell me what just happened here?"

Trucy looks to Phoenix, Phoenix looks to Trucy and then, as one, the pair shake their heads and pat his shoulders in a comforting manner.

"It's alright, Polly, some of the most famous attorneys were also lousy detectives, right, daddy?"

"Right!"

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T: I warned you it was random! Review?


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